The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making reproductions or prints of relatively short film strips each of which includes at least one film frame (normally a short series of aligned film frames). More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for making reproductions or prints of film frames forming part of film strips which are provided with or connected to planar tabs or analogous carriers of encoded information. The term "encoded" is intended to denote such information which can be decoded or read by an automatic reader. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for making reproductions of frames forming part of negative film strips which are delivered or sent to a processing laboratory in envelopes bearing information pertaining to the nature (type and size) of reproductions to be made, the number of reproductions to be made from one or more frames on a film strip, the identification of customers and or agencies to whom the reproductions (together with the respective film strips and envelopes) are to be returned or handed over, and the order numbers.
It was already proposed to provide relatively short negative film strips (e.g., strips having a row of four, five or six film frames) with planar tabs or analogous carriers of information. If a customer desires to obtain additional prints of one or more frames on a given film strip, the pertinent information (including the number and nature of prints to be made) is written onto the respective tab, and the film strip or strips are delivered or mailed to a collecting agency (e.g., a dealer in photographic equipment and/or material) or directly to a processing laboratory. The film strips which reach the laboratory are spliced together or otherwise connected to each other (e.g., by using adhesive tape or by welding) to form a long web which is thereupon caused to pass through a roll copying machine. The making of prints from successive frames of the web in the copying machine is automated to a certain degree or is fully automatic. In either event, the feeding of information into the copying machine presents a number of problems and contributes significantly to the cost of reproductions. The information (which is stored on the tabs) must be read and fed into the copying machine in a form which enables the machine to make a requisite number of reproductions as well as to make reproductions of required nature from successive frames of the aforediscussed web. Moreover, once it has passed through the copying machine, the web must be subdivided into discrete film strips which are returned to the dealers or directly to the customers, together with the respective prints. The subdivision of the web (as well as the assembly of the web from a series of film strips) must be carried out with utmost care since a customer is likely to send in a repeat order for the making of prints from those frames which were previously assembled into a web.